"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful." (~Abram L. Urban)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Firethorn Pomes

Growing in the garden today by the back fence is these red berries of the Pyracanthus. They started off as small fragrant white flowers, and as they developed I moved the plant to the fence to grow up it and along it. I have read the red berries are actually called Pomes (like the french for apple), and that Quince, Medlar, Apple, and Plum trees are members of the same family. I guess the berrys do look apple-ish.I want to see if the birds will eat them.I read that the Pyracanthus is a good wildlife attracting plant. The flowers for Bees, the thorns for nesting birds, and the berries for wildlife. I think that there must be plenty of natural food because the garden birds have not been as much to the feeders.As winter draws in im sure they willl return to the garden. I saw a solitary Great Tit feeding at Hils nut house earlier, and I heard the Robin chastising someone. I do like the colour of the Firethorn berrys, on a dull grey day.

4 comments:

Pyracanthus is also used to keep burglars out with their thorns. (fat chance).My berries are usually gone in no time, but my neighbour keeps them all winter, because they are yellow. Birds seem to prefer red. BTW, thanks for your help with the site. It's all back to normal now.

These are amazing plants to me .. we had them in our Dutch garden and the size of the thorns were shocking ! haha .. but the birds seemed to love the climbing shrub form on the brick wall of the courtyard .. nests galore !They certainly are interesting plants : )Joy

My pyracantha berries orange, and they are usually one of the very last things to be eaten around here. Usually one day, some intrepid robin will give in and figure that it's time to polish them off... and they will literally be gone that fast.

I never noticed how much they look like little apples before, by the way. I like that.